Letter copying bath.



N6. 718,669. PATENTED' JAN. 20,1903.

R. SPURGIN.

LETTER GOPYING BATH. APPLICATION FILED J-AN. 20, 1900.

up MODEL.

Z01? was lime/2Z0 Uiarran STATES PATENT CFFICE.

ROBERT SPURGIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LETTER-COPYING BATH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,669, dated January 20, 1903. Application filed January 20, 1900. Serial No. 2,124. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ROBERT SPURGIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Letter-Copying Bath, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a receptacle for let ter-press copying-cloths; and the special object sought to be attained beyond the mere providing of a holder for the cloths is a more convenient means for dampening them readily and uniformly than has been hitherto provided in any bath of which I am cognizant.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the pan. Fig. 2 is aperspeotive of the cover. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the insettingtray with the wick adjusting slide shown partially in dotted lines beneath the tray. Fig. 4t is a perspective of the reverse of the insetting tray. Fig. 5 is the wick-adjusting slide. Fig. 6 is a plane view of the tray, showing the wick-adjusting slide. Fig. 7 is a textile strip or wick.

Following is a description of the offices of the several parts of my invention.

The pan, Fig. 1, is designed to hold a supply of water sufficient for several daysuse when filled up to the perforations a, which are purposely placed at aheight which will never permit of the water rising to the level of the tray, Fig. 3. The tray-being provided with a textile strip or wick 1;, extending centrally along its length and held in place by wires h h h, which pass through perforations g g g, is set in the vessel, being kept above the water by its supports 0 c, as well as the supportfand the movable wick-adjuster, Fig. 5, in its varying positions. The textile strip or wick t', Fig. 7, extending to the extreme front end of the tray, showing the larger in-cut,.

m, Fig. 3, rests upon either the level orslope of the wick-adjuster, e, Figs. 3, 5, or possibly partly on both, depending upon the position of the wick -adjuster. The pack of cloths resting on the tray, Fig. 3, over the strip t', ready to be dampened, the wick-adjuster, if then supposed to be drawn out flush with the end of the tray, is then pushed inward sufficiently to permit of that end of the wickt' hanging pendent in the water over the slope-end e at any desired depth, and as the water is used and recedes from day to day the wick 71 may be similarly readjusted each time to accommodate the longer reaoh of the wick end until all the water in the pan is drawn. Immediately the wick touches the water the capillary action commences. The water quickly passes through the wick i and begins at once to be taken up by the pack, and this process continues until the surface of the water in the reservoir beneath recedes from the wick end. Thus, if the wick-end is adjusted to about the proper depth, as determined by the experience of the operator, being governed by the quantity of the pack, the necessary amount of moisture will be distributed throughout the pack, and in due time the process of absorption through the wick will of course cease of itself by reason of the recedence of water beneath, as above explained. When at any time the operator desires to completely out ofi the draft of the wick pendent in the water, it may be accomplished by drawing outward by means of the thumb-hole lo the wick-adjuster, Fig. 5, which moves easily between stepped guides,j, Figs. 4: and 6, to a point sufficient to raise and suport the pendent end above the water, even to its full limit, if necessary, depending upon the nearness of the water to the tray.

The several perforations, Ct, Fig. 1, have a further use than merely that of preventing too great a depth of water in the pan, one of which would meet that requirement. If the tray be placed in the vessel with the wickadjuster toward the perforations, as is designed, and the perforations a toward the light, the rays of light will be focused upon the Wick end pendent upon the slope e of the wick-adjuster, thereby enabling the operator to adjust the wick in the Water with more accuracy, especially when only a very slight insertion, such as one-eighth inch, is necessary.

Modification is noted in the use in the larger sizes of my letter-copying bath of a movable wick-adj uster, Fig. 5, with stepped guides at both ends of the tray, Fig. 3, to accelerate the moistening process in very large copyingoloths, the support f being then omitted.

I do not place so much importance on the particular contrivanoe I employ (Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, d e j It I mlfor regulating the draft of moisture and have adopted apparently the sim- IOC the water and provided with a centrally-secured textile strip or Wick 1; and having an incut m to permit the end of the strip to hang pendent in the Water and a sliding form Working in said incut, for securing difierent degrees of insertion of the strip in the Water to regulate the drafts of moisture, for the purpose specified and all substantially as set forth and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBT. SPURGIN. Witnesses:

WM. P. KEELER, T. H. KEELER. 

